Congratulations to both of you! What an exciting time! In helping you to prepare for your Catholic wedding, the Church emphasizes that marriage is so much more than a wedding. It is a lived reality embedded in the mystery of God's love for us and our love for one another. As a result, it is important for the Church to act as a resource in helping you to plan for your marriage.
At St. Raymond of Penafort Parish, the preparation for marriage includes the following activities:
1. Beginning the Preparation
You begin this process reading the Wedding Notes.
Then you can the rectory, 860-745-2411, to make the preliminary arrangements. Shortly afterwards you will be contacted by Deacon Paul Robert about setting up the first meeting.
Before you contact Jim Caroll about the music for your wedding please read the Music Guidelines.
2. First Meeting
At this meeting you will discuss the parish's timelines, parish and Archdiocesan requirements.
3. Pre-marital Inventory
The completion of a pre-marital inventory known as FACET will help you
to asses your strengths and weakness as a couple. This inventory tool is approved and required by the Archdiocese of Hartford. The abbreviation, FACET stand for Foundations Applied Conversation & Education Tool.
This usually requires several meetings--- one for the inventory and another one or two for the discussion.
4. Attendance at a Engaged Couples Conference
Marriage is so much more than a wedding; it is a lifetime of realizing God's love for us and our love for one another. The Catholic Church acts as a resource in helping couples to plan for their marriage.
A listing of the upcoming Engaged Couples Conferences can be found at Family Life Office Web Site's . Under services you can find the 2017 Engaged Couples Conference Schedule. It is a PDF file.
5. Pre-marital Investigation
The PMI is used to establish that you meet the canonical requirements for a sacramental marriage. To prepare for this activity Catholics are asked to request a newly issued copy of your baptismal certificate from the church of your baptism; non-Catholic Christians will need a baptismal document as well.